Typing on my Kindle Fire instead of my computer, both so I can recline and rest my back and to see how I like it. Also, using a stylus, to see how I like that. I got the stylus with the idea that I could take notes in handwriting with it, but I haven't figured out what software to use for that or whether it will be efficient. Typing with it seems no more or less efficient than using my fingers on this little touch keyboard. The stylus has a weird smooshy round point like a pencil eraser, not the sort of precise point one might prefer for writing. But it's purple!I am finding the Kindle's text predictions mildly entertaining. Often they are appropriate. However, whenever I type my son's name, it always suggests the surname of a certain poster boy for abstinence-only sex education. FUCK THAT. My kid was named Levi first and he is by far the superior Levi. Can't wait till that other one drops off the text prediction radar. #firstworldproblems

Yesterday I didn't have any immediately due work so it was time to go blueberry picking. One of the best things about living in the PNW: berries! It's not cost-effective at all, of course, to take 3 hours off to drive to Sauvie Island, miss a turn, then drive all the way around the island before stopping at a u-pick, pick berries until your containers are full and you're too hot to keep picking anyway, then drive home with 15 pounds of berries and spend an hour rinsing and freezing them. But it's a pleasant activity and you get delicious berries!Last night Wm and I went to Soup and Games at our friend Johanna's house. We picked up some artisan cheeses on the way because that is a thing Wm likes (not that I mind). Johanna had created a creamy soup with cauliflower, potatoes, fennel, leeks, and only a little milk and cream, and Wm liked it a lot so we got enough information about it that one of us, i.e., me, could make something similar. I already had some beef stew meat thawing, and had committed to a fruit salad for a brunch on Sunday, so today's farmers market mission was to get ingredients for these three dishes, plus lettuce for my personal enjoyment and whatever else needed getting. And that is what I did today. Except there was a trip to Whole Foods as well and l didn't get leeks at either place. I made the fruit salad this evening: blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, nectarines, fresh mint, dried cranberries, candied ginger, and a little salt to draw out the juices so they can mix. Yum. Hoping to do more food preparation tomorrow so there will be good things to eat during the week, but my back has been keeping me from standing for more than an hour at a stretch, so here I am typing about all the delicious food I am going to make. Ha.

I am going to scan more pictures of Patrick and do more publicity-related things . . . after this week, though. This is a busy week, but after this week I think my workload will be light again. Yeah, I keep thinking that.

On the actual anniversary date I didn't do a heck of a lot special except to register for the walk and think up and type in the text for the page. I also went for a 4-mile run. How training for this walk will affect my running schedule is something that I will need to figure out.

I am in possession of ingredients for removing and replacing hair color. I'm planning to do a streak before Patrick's Yahrzeit date, which is the 19th. Won't a certain someone be surprised. Well, not surprised, but he will get used to it.

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My birthday came and went and we didn't do quite enough to celebrate - nothing, really, on the actual day. Oh well. Niki and Levi both called, and I ran for 20 minutes without stopping for the first time since 1991, and I had enough work to finish that I had to put off going to Costco until the next day. (Aside: Going to Costco, which I do once a month to get my prescriptions filled and pick up the usuals, always leaves me exhausted and kind of wrecks my day. What the heck that is about, I'm not quite sure. Oh yeah. Shopping.)

Thursday we saw the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble at Reed for free. It was an educational event: the director was onstage between dances talking about what they were doing and having the dancers demonstrate warmups, different positions, etc. At one point some brave volunteers went onstage and did stuff. It was all quite entertaining and my knowledge of ballet was exponentially increased.

We sort of celebrated on Saturday by sleeping late and going out to lunch. We ended up in NW so I spent an hour browsing shops along NW 23rd (I had gotten the idea to do that from an article in the Tribune about how businesses there were having trouble because of the streetcar construction project) while William browsed the camera store. I didn't buy anything, but I had a good time and saw a business card case that I might buy later and a couple of other stores that I wanted to check out. That night we went to see A Serious Man at the Kennedy School, but we missed the first few minutes so I'm withholding a verdict on it until we've seen it again. We went to New Seasons afterward and picked up a rotisserie chicken and a couple of vegetable sides from the deli. (I forgot about that carrot salad! I'll have to look for it tomorrow or whenever I get hungry. It was basically just raw julienned carrots with a little vinegar and salt or something and some capers, but, I don't know, I might make something like that at home and eat it. I've got enough carrots.)

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!- What I create will be just for you.- It'll be done this year.- You have no clue what it's going to be. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to put this in your journal as well. We all can make stuff!

[To the people who replied when I did this in 2007: I have your stuff; I'm going to send it this year! I promise! By the end of this month!]